Flexible connection



June 7, 1932. y F, W PEITERS 1,861,753v

FLEXIBLE QONNECTION, y

Fild 0G17. 15, 1928 l Patented Junev 1932 j t 'l 1,351,753

vuNurisD A STATES PATENT ori-'lcs FEEDEEICE W. rE'rEEs, or CLEVELAND, oEIo, AssIGNoE 'ro THE ALMETAI'. UNIVERSAL JOINT COMPANY,-O]i CLEVELAND, OIEIIO, A. CORPORATION OF `(OHIO CONNECTION v v i Application led October 15, 1928. Serial No. 312,426. This invention relates to iexible connec- 180-o apart, asis usual in uhiversalljoint con tions, such as universal joints, and has for struction. its general object to provide a connectlon of The trunnions are mounted 1n a connectthis character which is efficient in operation ing ring comprising two symmetrical `annu-V 5 while simple in construction and cheap of lar sections C, C', each having symmetrical production. i g seats D, D therein in the form of hollow seg1 The exible connection is of the` type ments of a sphere each in excess of a quar. wherein trunnion pins carried by the "proxiter sphere and so arranged that, when the mate endsv of driving and driven members ring sections are connected, complete seats are united by a connecting member of the are formed, each in the form ofa hollow two-part ring type. segment of a sphere in excess of a hemisphere, More limited objects of the invention are theinner end or base of. each seat presented to provide flexible yconnections of this char- .toward the center of the joint vand spaced acter with novel means for mounting the Va short` distance from the shoulder 3 and the trunnions in the connecting member as well' seat 4 on the yoke arm which carrles the trunas with improved means for connecting the nion mounted in such seat.

halves'of suchconnecting member. v At the meeting edges of the ring sections I accomplish the foregoing object, and C, Ceach hemispherical seat lsbeveled outother and more limited objects which will `Wardly, asvshown at D2, D3. The purpose of .20 appear hereinafter, in and throughthe con- `this construction will be explained hereinstruction and arrangement of parts shownv after., V

ill the drawing, wherein Fig. l represents a IEach ring section has a cylindrical outer sectional elevation of a flexible connection surface and an inner surface composed of constructed in accordance with my invention, Cylindrical Surfaces C2 alternating 'with flatthe section being taken approximately tened surfaces D4 D5 at right anglesto radii through diametrically opposed portions of dra-Wn frOm the. Centel- 0f each segmental l the connecting ring and the partsfassembled Seat D' t0 the Center 0f the baSe 0f Such.

therein; Fig. 2, a view of said connection Segment.

' in end'elevatiom'a, part of the connecting Mounted oneach trunnionis a'deformaring being broken away; 3 a in ble, resilient beallngblockf 0f the Same gensection corresponding to the line 3 3 of Fig. eral Shape as the Seats D, D'- Each Such j 2; and Fig, 4, a detail in plan View of one bearing block 1s composed preferably of vulof the resjent; deformable bearing blocks camzed soft rubber and 1s Sllghtly larger for the trunnions. i

than the seatformed therefor. in the assem.

Describing the various prt-S byr/efereince bled ring sections. Each block 5 has a cylindrical bore 5a for the reception of a trunnion and a vent 5" extending from the outer end of such bore through the said block. This vent enables vthe bearing blocks `to be characters, A and B denote a pair of hubs which are adapted for connection to the driving and driven shaft sections with which 40 they respectively cooperatet Each hub is lmwldetl with a Pai? )fYOk arms la each nions, permitting the air to esca e as the Um havmg a t'lmmon 2 Prolectmg from a blocks are slipped in place. The lnner face shoulder 3, the shoulder having an annular 0f each bearing block engages the seat proseat 4 surrounding the base of the trunnion. vided therefor at thel base of its trunnion pin,

The trunnions on each pair of yoke arms are and the inner end of each bearing block proapplied to the ends of their respective trun-A `means of bolts 9. Each bolt has a head 10 in one of the recesses 8, engaging an arched l spring washer 1l in such recess, and a nut 12.

in the opposite recess 8E bearing against a similar spring washer 11, preferably through an interposed lock washer 13. "By setting up the nuts 12,V the washers are spread outwardly, transferring the pressure to the edges of their respective annular seats, thus securing an eiicient clamping of the said ring sections together and clamping the bearing blocks 5 under a firm but yieldable pressure.

In practice, the spherical blocks 5 are slightly larger than the .seats formed therefor in the connecting ring. `This insures the compression of the blocks by the assembling of the ring sections and in tight engagement with their respective trunnions. Furthermore, the provision of the vbeveled surfaces D2, D3 at the meeting edges of the portions ias of the ring sections which partially surround the seats, provides a space into which the corresponding parts of the blocks may be squeezed, thereby to accommodate any slight mis-alignment in assembling, as well as slight angular movements of the shaft sections with reference to each other. The unenclosed part 7 of each block contributes to this same result. i

In practice, the beveled surfaces D', Ds have'been made from Blf to 11g inch wide, and the width of the unenclosed portion 7 of each block will be approximatel the same as the width of each such bevele surface.

By virtue of the construction described and illustrated herein, I have produced a lflexible connection comprising a small number of parts and which may be very easily assembled and disassembled. I have also produced a connection which is inexpensive of production, but which will accomplish ef- .icientl the results for which it is intended;

Having thus'described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. A fiexiblefconnection comprising driving and driven members each having yoke arms, and trunnions carried by said arms, a connecting ring comprising a' pair of annular sections each having partial seats therein adapted, when the said sections are connected, to form complete seats each comprisl ing a chamber closed at its outer end, a bearing block of deformable resilient lmaterial surrounding each trunnion and shaped to substantially fit a seat provided therefor in said ring, and means for securing the ring sections together, the parts of said blocks which are so fitted within the seats being normally larger than 'said seats whereby they are held under compression by the said seats and in tight engagement with their respective trunnions.-

2. A flexible'connection comprising -driving and driven members each having yoke arms,'"and trunnionscarried by said arms, a connecting ring comprising a pair of annular sections each having seats therein vided therefor in the assembled ring sections,

and means for connecting the said ring sections, each bearingblock having a bore for the reception of a trunnion pin and a vent extending from the outer end of such bore through said block.

3. A `flexible connection comprising driving and driven members each having yoke arms, and trunnions carried by said arms, a connecting ring comprising a pair of annulai; sections each having parti-al seats therein adapted, when the said sections are assembled, to form complete seats, a bearing block mounted on each trunnion and composed of deformable resilient material adapted to fit the seats provided therefor in the assembled ring sections, each bearing block having a bore for the reception of a trunnion pin and a vent extending from the outer end of such bore through said block. 4. A flexible connection comprising drivving and driven members each having yoke arms andtrunnions carried by said arms, a connecting ring comprising -a pair of an- Ynular sections each having partial seats adapted, when the said sections are assemsections, and means for connecting the bled, to form complete seats, a bearing block mounted on each trunnion and composed of v deformable resilient material adapted to lit I connecting ring comprising a pair of annular sections each having seats therein adpted, when the said sections are assembl tovform seats each in the shape of a sphere segment in excess of a hemisphere with the bases of the segments presented toward the center of the ring, a bearing block mounted on each trunnion and composed of deformable resilient material and each in the shape of a. sphere segment and adapted to fit the seats provided therefor in the assembled ring sections, and means for connectirig the l said ring sections, the. partial seats in the sections being provided at their meeting edges each with an outwardly beveled surface providing, when the ring sections are assembled, o an outwardly extending V-shaped groove surrounding the corresponding part of thebearing block therein. f

6. A iexible connection'comprising a driving and a driven member each having a pair of yokeI arms, and a trunnion extending outing substantially hemispherical seats extending thereinto from the inner wall thereof, the inner walls of the ring sections being spaced from the annular seats on the yoke arms, a. substantially spherical bearing block -25 'of deformable elastic material mounted on each trunnion, each said block having an annular' face adapted to en age the annular seat provided therefor, an -means for connecting the said ring sections, the portion of each block which is fitted in the seat therefor being normally somewhat larger than said seat whereby each block iscompressed within its seat.

7. A flexible connection comprising a driving and a driven member each having a pair prising a pair of annular sections each having substantially hemispherical lseats extending thereinto from the inner wall thereof, .the

inner walls of the ring sections being spaced from the annular seats on the yoke arms and the partialI seats in said sections being provided a-t their meeting edges each with an outwardly extending surface providing, when the ring sections are assembled, an outwardly extending groove, a substantially spherical bearing block of deformable elastic material Y mounted on each trunnion and being normally somewhat larger than the seat formed therefor by assembling the said ring sections, each said block having an inner annular face adapted to engage the annular seat provided therefor, and means for connecting'. the said rmg sectlons.

8. A flexible connectlon comprislng a driving and a driven member, each having truno nlons pro]ect1ng therefrom, a connecting ring comprlsing a pair of symmetrical annular sections each having partial seats therein adapted to form bearing block seats when the said. sectionsare assembled, bearing 5 blocks on said trunnions each consisting of a body-of deformable, resilient material, the

portion of each block which is received in a seat being normally larger than such seat, and means for connecting the said ring sections, the said means comprising pairs of opposed recesses in the said sections, each recess having a-n annular seat, a bolt for each pair of opposed recesses and having its head on the other end of said bolt in the other of such opposed recesses, and an arched spring washer in each recess through which such bolt,l extends, each washer being arranged with its concavity presented toward a cooperating annular seat whereby the pressure due to setting up the `nut on each bolt is transferred to the parts of the opposed seatsengaged by the outer edges of said washers, the pairs of opposed recesses in the ring sections alternating with the bearing .block seats formed therein.

9. A flexible connection comprising a driving and a driven member each having trunnions projecting therefrom, a connecting ring comprisinga plurality of sections having partial seats therein adapted, when the said sections are assembled, to provide complete bearing block seats, bearing blocks of deformable resilient material on said trunnions Within and substantially fitting the said seats, the parts of the bearing blocks which are so fitted within the seats being normally larger than the said sea-ts, and means yieldingly connecting the said ringsections and holding the Said blocks under compression by the said Seats.

10. A bearing block for the trunnions of driving and driven members which' are connected by a ring comprising two sections adapted, when drawn together, to form seats each in the form of a segment of a sphere in excess of a hemisphere, the said bearing block being also in the shape of a se ent of a sphere in excess of a hemisphere an having a bore extending thereinto from the inner end thereof adapted to receive one of such trunnions and adapted to bereceived in one of said seats, the said bearing block being made of deformable elastic material and being normally of greater external area than the internal area of the cooperating seat whereby, after the ring sections are drawn together, the bearing block will be compacted between its trunnion and the inner wall of its seat. 4

11. A bearing block'for the trunnions of driving and driven members which are connected by a ring comprising two sections adapted, when drawn together, to form seats each in the form of a segment of a sphere in excess of a hemisphere, the said bearing block being also in the shape of a segment of a sphere in excess of a hemisphere and having a bore extending thereinto from the inner end thereof adapted to receive one of such in one of such opposed recesses and a nut trunnions and adapted Ato be received .in one of said seats, the said bearing block beingmade of deformable elastic material and-being normally of greater external area than 5 the internal area of the cooperating seat whereby, after the ring sections are drawn together, the bearing block will be compacted between its trunnion and the inner wallk of its seat, the said bearing block having a vent lo opening extending from the outer end of the l bore thereof through the outer surface thereof.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

15 i FREDERICK w. PETERS. 

